COST OF WATER AND SEWER TAPS LIKELY GOING UP

  

The cost of getting a water meter or sewer line tap will likely increase, but not until next year.  Assistant City Manager Donald Reese told the city council during a workshop session at their meeting this (Thursday) afternoon, that the city has looked at what the customers are charged to have the taps installed verses what it actually costs.  He emphasized that this was not the monthly bill for water and sewer, but a onetime charge that a new customer pays to have a water meter tap installed.

He explained that for example, customers are charged $494 to have a one inch water main tap installed, but it costs the city $2100.  Reese suggested that the rates be phased in over a 3 year period.  Council member Clint Kolby said that he would like to see residential cost kept as low as possible.  Resse said he would take the information back to the utility sub-committee and bring the new rates to the full council before the budget talks begin next year.

In other action, the council voted to approve:

• A new fee schedule for the Parks and Recreation Department.  Director of Public Works, Dane Rau explained that the $50 light charge for the city’s baseball fields was unmanageable, and the parks board voted to simply increase the cost of most fields $25 per day.
• A Memorandum of Understanding with the Texas Music Office of the Governor of Texas concerning making Brenham a Texas Music Friendly Community.  The memorandum is the final document necessary, and requires maintaining a database of business that feature Texas Music.
• A Resolution adopting rules governing the receipt of electronic bids of proposals.  Due to COVID, venders with the city have most of their staff working from home, and have requested that the city make the change to avoid having employees travel and exchange documents.